


The Birthday Dinner

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Awesome Charlie, Awkward Flirting, Businessman Castiel, Castiel & Anna Milton are Siblings, Castiel & Gabriel Are Brothers, Castiel Likes Dean Winchester, Castiel's Birthday, Charlie Bradbury & Dean Winchester Friendship, Chef Dean, Cute Castiel/Dean Winchester, Dean Flirts, Dean asks Cas out, Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic, Shy Dean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-26
Updated: 2015-11-26
Packaged: 2018-05-03 11:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5289188
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabe and Anna take their brother Cas out every year for his birthday.  This year they chose a restaurant they've never been to before called Winchesters.  It's a steak house with a great rep and Cas loves steak, so it's a win/win for all of them.  What no one anticipates is for Cas to catch the chef's eye.  Awkward flirting ensues as Dean tries to woo Cas, but really, he didn't have to go to such lengths to get Cas' attention, he had the man at apple pie.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Birthday Dinner

**Author's Note:**

> So saw an adorable prompt in one of my Destiel groups on FB, so I ran with it. It was too cute NOT to. So....that being said, enjoy the adorable fluff.

“Cassie!!!!” 

Cas grinned at the sound of his name, and he turned to see his brother and sister walking towards him.

“About time you two got here. You told me to be here at seven. It’s seven fifteen!”

“Reservations are for seven forty five, we have time!” Gabe cried.

“Is there a long wait at this place? I’ve never eaten here before.” Cas looked up at the sign that hung over the restaurant entrance. In an elegant black font was the name _Winchesters_. 

“There can be, depending on the time of year. That’s why I made a reservation,” Anna said. She hooked one arm through Cas’ and one through Gabe’s and they walked in together.

“Novak, party of 3. It’s my baby brother’s thirtieth!” Gabe announced cheerfully to the hostess. She smiled warmly.

“Well happy birthday. I will check on your table and see if it’s ready.” 

“Thank you,” Anna said.

They moved over to the seats by the windows, and Cas sat down with his sister while Gabe stayed standing.

“So tell me, what have you been up to?” Anna asked Cas.

“Work mostly. I negotiated a purchase this week that will allow the corporation to gain exclusive rights to the Spritzer brand. My boss was so impressed that I got a raise, and they’re talking about a promotion at the beginning of the year when Zachariah retires. I’m excited!” Cas replied. Things were going great at work, and he was ecstatic about the extra money he’d be getting.

“That’s fantastic! So it’s a decent raise then?” she asked.

“About five thousand more a year, so yeah, pretty substantial. I’m now making six figures,” he replied proudly.

“Wow, I’m proud of you, little brother,” Gabe said, nodding in approval.

“Thank you.” Cas grinned up at his brother. Overall this had been a good year.

“And are you seeing anyone? I would think you’d bring them if you were.” Typical Anna being nosey, no doubt on behalf of their mother.

“No, not seeing anyone currently. Haven’t met anyone worthwhile,” he replied.

“Why? You’re smoking hot! You should have men beating down your door to be with you,” Gabe teased. Cas rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t hide his smile.

“Yes, well, socializing would be necessary in order to meet someone worth dating.”

“Well, we need to do this more often than just on birthdays. We’re going to have fun tonight, and then next week we’re going to have more fun for my birthday!” Anna clapped her hands excitedly. Cas smiled at her. He felt so much affection for his sister in that moment. They didn’t get to spend nearly enough time together, not since she had started her residency.

“Novak?”

All three heads turned to see the hostess standing with her tablet a few feet away.

“Table is ready?” Gabe asked. She smiled and nodded.

“Alright, kids, let’s go eat!” he announced.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cas sat down on one side of the table while his brother and sister sat down across from him. From where he sat he could see the kitchen and the people moving around inside. The smell was heavenly. Gabe had picked this restaurant out because it was supposed to have the best steaks in the city, and he knew that as healthy as Cas liked to eat, he was a sucker for a good steak. The atmosphere was formal, and Cas had worn his light gray suit with a blue tie that he’d been told matched his eyes. He’d attempted to tame his hair but it was pointless, so it was the only thing not tidy in his ensemble this evening, but long ago he’d given up on trying to control his wild locks. They had a mind of their own. People seemed to like it though, so he let it be. A server, a young lady with flaming red hair dressed in a white shirt and black dress pants, appeared and placed menus on the table.

“Welcome to Winchesters, my name is Charlie and I will be your server this evening. May I get you started off with a bottle of wine or some drinks?” she asked. Her smile was warm and friendly and they all smiled back at her.

“Well, it’s our baby brother’s birthday, so…it’s your call.” Gabe nodded in Cas’ direction.

“Um…” Cas perused the wine list on the menu for a minute. “How is the house white? Is it good?”

“Oh, it’s fantastic. The owner picks out each wine himself. He actually travels to Europe at least once a year to look for new dishes and wines. I’m not a wine drinker myself, but this one is very good,” she replied. Cas was impressed. That was dedication.

“Alright, a bottle of your house white then.” 

She nodded. “I’ll have it out to you in just a few minutes.”

When she was gone they all returned to their menus.

“Wow, there are some fantastic cuts of meat here. I’ve had a taste for filet mignon for a while now,” Gabe murmured as he read over the different dishes.

“I like the flat iron,” Anna said. Cas nodded in agreement.

They were still reading over the menu when Charlie returned with the bottle and three glasses. Her smile had gone from friendly to almost maniacally gleeful as she opened the bottle.

“So…” Her eyes drifted over to Cas and she giggled. He looked up, his expression one of puzzlement. When he looked over at his siblings they both shrugged.

“Yes?” he asked.

“I normally would _not_ be asking this…” She giggled again and Gabe moved to cut her off.

“Listen, my little brother’s a cutie, but he doesn’t swing your way. You’re barking up the wrong tree,” he said, quickly earning a wide-eyed look from his brother.

“Gabe!”

“No, that’s actually what I was going to ask. And don’t worry, he’s not my cup of tea either, I like women, but…” Charlie looked back over her shoulder towards the kitchen before looking at Cas again. “The chef? He kind of saw you and…he thinks you’re really attractive, so he asked me to come out and do some reconnaissance. The problem is I’m _really_ bad at subtle, so I figured I would just come right out and ask if you’re into guys.”

Cas’ mouth dropped at the question, and he looked up in wide-eyed surprise. 

“Oh that’s adorable,” Anna giggled. When Cas looked across the table he found both his brother and sister smiling wide.

“He….how? Can he see me from the kitchen?” Cas asked, looking up at Charlie again.

“He can, and let me tell you, he _never_ does things like this, but apparently you caught his eye.” She giggled again as she set each glass of wine down in front of them.

“Oh, um.” Cas turned to look towards the kitchen and sure enough there was a man in a white chef’s coat and hat looking at him. The man smiled and ducked his head but Cas could see the blush on his cheeks. The man was attractive as well. 

“What’s his name?” Cas asked.

“Oh, it’s Dean,” Charlie replied. After a beat she asked “What’s your name?”

“I’m Cas. It’s short for Castiel,” he replied. When he glanced back towards the kitchen he saw the chef watching him again. This time the man ducked completely out of sight when their eyes met. At least Cas had been able to see the vibrant green of the man’s eyes this time. He was intrigued.

“Are you single, Cas?” she asked. He felt his cheeks begin to burn as he nodded.

“Yes, I am.”

“Ok, well, I’ll give you a few more minutes to look over the menu.” Her smile was dialed back down to polite, and she left the bottle sitting in a bucket of ice on a small table next to them before leaving to take care of other customers.

“This is exciting! I wonder what he’s like. He looks handsome,” Anna said, her tone wistful as she looked towards the kitchen.

“This is hilarious. I should go back there and get him to come out here and talk to you,” Gabe chuckled.

“Please don’t, he’s probably shy and you would embarrass him. Let him do it on his own,” Cas chastised.

“Are you interested?” Anna asked excitedly. Cas blushed harder and smiled as he lifted his glass of wine.

“Perhaps. He is attractive.”

Anna squealed as softly as she could in a formal restaurant and tugged on Gabe’s suit jacket, making him laugh.

“You’re a doctor,” he said, but he was grinning at her.

“So? Doctors can be happy for their brothers too, you know.” She smacked his arm lightly, a happy smile on her lips.

Charlie returned a few minutes later and they gave their order. Cas found himself wondering if Dean would be the one preparing his steak. It brought a smile to his face. He couldn’t help but look towards the kitchen with a higher frequency than he ever would have had the chef not sent Charlie out to talk to him. Dean was moving around, giving orders to the staff as he cooked, but on more than one occasion he saw Dean looking up, his bright green eyes seeking Cas out, smiling each time their eyes actually met. Cas knew he was blushing, but he didn’t care. Someone was actually interested in him, and he was flattered.

When the food arrived Charlie set down Anna and Gabe’s food first before turning to Cas with that nearly maniacal smile again.

“What?” he asked, smiling back at her.

“Well, he was wondering if he could get your number. He’s a really, really great guy, my best friend in the world, actually. I know I don’t know anything about you or what your type of guy is, but I think you’d really like him. He’s such a nice person, really kind and thoughtful and…” She took a breath, clearly ready to keep touting the amazing person Dean was, but he had already pulled out one of his business cards and jotted his cell number on the back.

“It’s alright. Here it is.” He held it out, and she squealed excitedly before snatching it out of his hand and stuffing it in the breast pocket of her dress shirt. She placed his plate in front of him.

“He made your steak and says he hopes you like it.” She was still smiling brightly as she hurried off once again.

“Wow, you sure have made an impression on Dean,” Gabe laughed. “I wish someone would look at me like that.”

“What about your wife?” Anna asked, batting his arm playfully. Gabe laughed.

“She looks at me like I forgot to hang up my wet towels again.”

“You probably did,” Cas said, laughing. 

They enjoyed the meal, and Cas found his steak to be the most delicious piece of beef he had ever eaten. In fact, the entire experience here had been amazing. He sipped at his wine and was reviewing the dessert menu when Charlie returned to clear the table.

“Oh, you don’t have to order dessert; Dean already has that covered.” She moved quickly to clear the table before pulling another table closer.

“What the…” Cas’ eyes widened as a second server arrived with a rolling cart. The cart was loaded with what looked like pieces of every dessert the restaurant offered.

“Damn, wish he was trying to woo me, I’d be his already,” Gabe muttered as he eyed the cart.

“What is all this?” Cas asked, looking up in shock at Charlie and the new girl. The tag on her white blouse said her name was Jo.

“Dean is a romantic at heart, and this was his grand gesture. He’s shy though. So I told him I’d bring it out here for him,” Jo said, grinning.

“I wish he’d just come talk to me. I know I can’t go back there, state laws and such,” Cas told her. She smiled as she placed slices of pie and cake on their table as well as the one Charlie had brought over.

“This is too much, the owner can’t be happy that his chef would be doing this. How much is all this? I insist on paying,” Cas said. Jo shook her head.

“He won’t let you. It’s already covered. And…he says Happy Birthday.” She shared a knowing smile with Charlie before looking at him again. 

“What am I supposed to do here?” Cas asked his brother and sister.

“I’ve never had anyone try this hard to get my attention. I honestly don’t know,” Anna replied.

“Enjoy the desserts, ’cause if you don’t, I will.” Gabe’s grin was wicked and Cas laughed, shaking his head.

“Clearly I won’t be able to eat all this, so please, dig in.” Cas pushed a slice of what looked like fudge cake towards his brother who grabbed a fork so fast he almost missed it. He picked up his own fork and selected a slice of cherry pie to try. He groaned as the taste of tart cherries and sugar burst across his tongue.

“Oh, this is delicious! Does Dean make these?” he asked.

“He sure does. It’s his mother’s recipe. In fact, all of the pies are his mother’s.” Charlie replied. Cas took another bite, this time of apple pie and his eyes fluttered shut as he savored the taste of cinnamon, sugar and what tasted like a hint of cloves, all tucked into a light, buttery crust.

“Jesus, this is the best pie I’ve ever had in my life!” 

When he noticed the girls still standing there he looked warily between them.

“Please, do _not_ sing ‘Happy Birthday’.”

Charlie and Jo both giggled. “Oh, no, we don’t do that here. But…we’ll pass the message along that you like the pie. By the way, you just scored big in his book. He’s a pie addict.” Charlie winked as she nudged the other girl and they scurried off to the kitchen.

“A man that can cook, bake like a dream _and_ he’s drop dead gorgeous? I can’t begin to tell you how jealous I am right now,” Anna said around a mouthful of angel food cake. Cas just grinned, he couldn’t help it. He finished off the slice of apple pie before deciding he was too full. Then he snagged one more bite of the cherry. It was too tempting. Gabe had finished off the fudge cake and was working on what looked like tiramisu. 

“Do you ever stop eating?” Cas teased.

“Sweets? Hell no,” Gabe replied, grinning.

“No wonder mom spent a small fortune on dental visits for you growing up,” Anna laughed. Cas joined in, laughing with his sister until she stopped abruptly, her eyes going wide. He followed her gaze to see Dean was out of the kitchen and actually approaching their table. Cas’s stomach did a rather large flip, and he thought he might lose his dinner just from sheer nerves. Dean had removed his hat and was glancing around nervously, aware of all the patrons that were watching him, curious as to what he might be doing out of the kitchen. As he came to a stop in front of their table he looked at Cas. Dean was absolutely breathtaking this close up. His green eyes were bright, rimmed in long, thick lashes that kissed his cheeks each time he blinked. He had dark blonde hair and a smattering of freckles that spilled across his nose and cheeks. When he smiled his entire face lit up and his eyes sparkled. Cas’ breath caught in his throat and for a moment he completely forgot how to speak.

“Um hi, I’m Dean, but yeah, Charlie told you that already.” The chef laughed nervously before licking his lips. Cas’ eyes tracked the movement before his ability to speak seemed to finally return.

“Hi, Dean. I’m Cas. This is my brother, Gabe, and my sister, Anna.”

Dean’s smile grew wider, and he ducked his head shyly as he looked at the other two people sitting at the table.

“Hello. I’m sorry that I’ve interrupted your dinner. I-I don’t normally do things like this. In fact, I’ve never done anything like this before, I just…” His eyes went back to Cas as his cheeks flushed red.

“We get it, Cas is gorgeous.” Anna said, waving her hand dismissively. She smiled and winked at her brother who groaned and covered his face with one hand.

“Would you like to sit for a moment?” Gabe asked him. Dean’s eyes widened before he glanced at the empty chair on the other side of Cas. Cas pulled the chair out, and Dean smiled again before moving over to it and sitting down.

“So, our baby brother caught your eye, eh?” Gabe said lightly, a warm smile on his face. Cas knew his brother could sense how nervous Dean was and was toning down his naturally mischievous nature so as not to scare him off. Dean rubbed the bridge of his nose before looking at Cas again.

“As I said before, I just don’t do this, ever. But, um, I was hoping I could maybe take you out? On a date?” He cringed, perhaps thinking he sounded foolish, but Cas found him absolutely charming.

“I’d love to,” Cas said, smiling at Dean. The man smiled back, a sigh of relief escaping his lips.

“Awesome, and I promise I won’t be this nervous when we go out,” he said.

“Did Charlie give you my number?” Cas asked. Dean nodded and reached into his pocket, pulling the business card out.

“I-I already added it to my phone.” Dean’s blush was so intense now Cas was afraid he might spontaneously combust.

“Well, text me. I’m available most evenings,” he said, ignoring the raised eyebrows and looks of surprise from his siblings. Yeah, for a man who went to this much effort to get his attention, he’d make the time for him. Dean’s smile was warm as he nodded.

“Alright. Um, maybe Saturday? Did you-maybe we could go out Saturday?” 

Cas nodded. “I’d like that. You don’t have to work though, do you? I don’t want you to get fired or anything. I know weekends can be busy.” Dean laughed, and Cas was surprised by what a rich, beautiful sound it was.

“No, Cas, I’m not going to get fired. I’m Dean Winchester. This is my restaurant. Charlie didn’t tell you?” There was amusement dancing in those green eyes as he took in the surprise in Cas’ own blue ones.

“No! She just referred to you as the chef.”

Dean tilted his head, peering up at him through those lashes, still smiling. “And you still agreed to go out with me?”

“After your attempt to get my attention, I have to admit, I was intrigued. And…” Cas felt himself blushing as he turned his eyes to his glass of wine. “I thought you were handsome. I had no idea what you were seeing in me though.”

Dean scoffed and actually rolled his eyes. “Have you looked in a mirror, man? You’re _gorgeous_!”

“That’s what I’ve been telling him for years,” Anna said softly. 

“Oh, um, thank you.” Cas had his stupid, happy grin going on, the one that he felt made him look like a complete idiot, but he couldn’t help it. Dean’s eyes studied his face for a long moment. 

“You took my breath away from where I stood in the kitchen, but this close up? Wow.” His eyes widened, and he bit down on his lower lip as he averted his gaze out of embarrassment. “Sorry,” he apologized. Cas reached over, placing his hand over Dean’s.

“Don’t be. I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.”

Dean smiled once more before getting to his feet. “I have to get back to the kitchen, but I’ll text you later. Would that be alright?”

“Yes, absolutely.” Cas nodded, perhaps a bit too eagerly.

“Alright. Well, it was a pleasure meeting you.” Dean nodded towards Gabe and Anna who both smiled and nodded back.

“It was nice meeting you too,” Anna said. They watched as Dean headed back to the kitchen.

“Awww, Cassie, you’re so _cute_!” Gabe teased. Cas laughed and reached over the table to shove his brother in the arm.

“Oh shut _up_!”

“Charlie’s coming, we’ll pay and head out,” Anna said. When Charlie arrived she smiled sweetly at them.

“Was your dinner satisfactory?” she asked.

“It was better than satisfactory, this was the best steak I’ve ever had,” Cas replied. 

“Good, Dean will be pleased to hear that. He prides himself on the quality of the beef we serve here.” She bounced light on her heels, clearly happy with his declaration.

“Can I ask you something?” Cas asked.

“Sure, shoot.” 

“Why didn’t you tell me Dean owned the restaurant?” He was genuinely curious as to why she had withheld that tidbit. She nodded, her expression turning serious.

“Dean is my best friend in the world and the absolutely best person I’ve ever known in my life. When he asked me to come out and talk to you, I was shocked. See, Dean is painfully shy. He doesn’t talk to people much, and the few people he has dated since opening up these restaurants, they see him as a source of income, not as a potential boyfriend. I figured if you were seriously interested you’d look past him just being a chef and say yes to a date. Turns out you’re not shallow, so you’ve scored big points with me as well.”

Cas nodded as he listened. He understood her concern and desire to protect her friend. “I understand, and I respect you for not telling me outright, though I’m not a superficial person. Money is not that important to me. But if it gives you a sense of peace, I would never use someone for their money when I’m perfectly capable of my own. I am a buyer for Reinhold’s. And if you are not familiar with the Reinhold family, they own the Lewiston chain, the Smart Beat line, and now the Mill Street clothing line, exclusive rights as well as a dozen or so others.” He watched her eyes widen as she recognized the names he was telling her. “What that means is that as of this time next year, I’ll be the youngest vice president of marketing the company has ever seen, and my salary at that time will pretty much double. I already see six figures a year. So you need not worry that I will use your friend. I simply wish to enjoy his company, get to know him and see where it goes from there. I don’t date much because I don’t really get out much, so I am truly looking forward to our date this coming Saturday.” He spoke earnestly and without pride or boastfulness. He simply wanted her to understand that it was Dean himself that he was interested in, nothing else. Charlie relaxed into an easy grin.

“I like you, Cas. I think we’ll get along just fine.” He smiled right back.

“I think we will too.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it. Leave a comment and a kudos, let me know what you think. :)


End file.
